HSBC Australia chief executive told the Financial Review the bank had 144,000 credit card customers at present, that the bank aimed to increase the number of credit card customers to 250,000 in the short term, and that HSBC had set an objective of 500,000 credit card customers in Australia.Davis told the newspaper HSBC would also consider buying credit card portfolios from other lenders, but noted there were few providers seeking to sell their card businesses.Both Citibank and GE Money, as well as local banks, would be rivals for HSBC in any tenders for credit card portfolios in the event any did come on the market. Credit Union Services Corp was the last lender to sell a credit card business (the MyCard portfolio) to Citibank in 2004.HSBC is seeking growth in unsecured credit more widely, by entering into agreement to provide in-store finance with retail chains such as Freedom Furniture. HSBC is marketing personal loans, lines of credit and co-branded credit cards as financing options through the retail chains.Davis told the AFR that HSBC would open three more branches and several lending centres in 2006.HSBC told the Australian that the bank's earnings in Australia, measured in local currency, were "solid" but didn't say what they were. As reported yesterday, HSBC on Monday night said it recorded a 23 per cent increase in its core profit in Australia and New Zealand to US$111 million during calendar 2005. The bank told the newspaper that home loan growth in Australia was around 10 per cent in 2005 but was flat in New Zealand.